PHOENIX — A murder-suicide is under investigation in the West Valley early Thursday morning.
The incident occurred in a neighborhood near 107th Avenue and Indian School Road around 1 a.m.
Phoenix police officers were initially called to check out a “shots fired” call. When they arrived at the scene, they found a woman inside a vehicle with at least one gunshot wound.
The victim, who was later identified as 47-year-old Lori Perez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Our crews on the scene have seen SWAT teams, a Mobile Command and Crime Scene Response units, patrol officers and yellow crime tape blocking off parts of the neighborhood.
Authorities worked two scenes: one on Heatherbrae Drive, where investigators worked around the victim’s body, and one at a home off of 106th Avenue. The house had damage in the back that appeared to be from SWAT activity.
Police later said that they had learned that Perez's boyfriend, 46-year-old Richard Charles, was possibly involved in her shooting.
When police arrived at his home nearby with a search warrant, Charles reportedly shot himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two women who live nearby told ABC15 the incident makes them feel deeply concerned about the safety of their families, including kids who live in the neighborhood.
“The truth is these type of situations are very dangerous,” Daniella Flores said in Spanish. “A murder is something serious. It makes me very scared because I have little kids, and don’t feel safe in the neighborhood.”
“Makes you a little nervous” Shelly Norris, another neighbor, added. "When I left my 90-year-old grandmother and my nieces where in the home, so makes you a little nervous as to what was going on. It’s sad as well, from what I’ve read so far. And just shock."
Norris got text alerts on her phone just after 10:35 Thursday morning saying the nearby K-through-12 school Villa De Vez had issued a Shelter In Place order. Her two 12-year-old nieces attend the school.
The Pendergast School District says Phoenix Police advised them to shelter in place at the school and the Pendergast Community Center due to nearby police activity, but police did not clarify whether it was related to the shooting. The order was lifted at 11 a.m.
“We already constantly lock the doors and everything else,” Norris said. "My son is like, 'I’m on my way to stay with you.' So probably one of my grown boys will come over and stay with us for a bit, just until we figure out what all is going on."
